Disability Care Businesses in the UK: Create Your Own

If you’ve always wanted to give something back to your local community, you may have considered starting your own disability care business. Though the idea of operating your own business can be daunting, the process is made significantly easier if you form a partnership with an experienced franchise.

If you've got what it takes to run your own care based franchise, you may also be interested in the following articles:

Disability home care

Over the last few decades, the quality of care afforded to those with disabilities has improved dramatically. The ability to provide mobile care services has also revolutionised the sector, allowing those who require them to receive care services in the comfort of their own home. Where in the past, the public health system and familial support networks had to provide a level of care they were not equipped to offer, large numbers of private sector organisations have now emerged to provide a remarkably high standard of disability care.

Disability care worker

Those new to the care sector will soon notice that disability care is intrinsically linked to elderly care and that most franchises operating in the industry offer both disabled and elderly care services. This is because both types of customers – the elderly and the disabled – depend on individuals who are trained in the same way and qualified to perform similar tasks. Consequently, disability care businesses in the UK often broaden their purview to include elderly home care services, too.

To give you some idea of investment opportunities available, we've created a guide to four of the most promising franchises in the industry.

Caremark UK

The Caremark story began when Kevin Lewis set up a Brighton-based retirement home in 1987. Within six years, Kevin’s work had attracted the attention of local social services who asked him to expand into home care services. After much success, the Caremark brand was launched in 2005 and, drawing on the wealth of experience accumulated in Kevin’s previous roles, grew to become one of the country’s foremost care providers. The franchise network now consists of roughly 100 franchise units, and there is no indication that this growth is slowing.

The business delivers bespoke care services to customers of all ages and abilities, ensuring they receive all the assistance they require to live a happier life. Caremark specialises in home care provision, and this forms the main bulk of their revenue.

The Caremark franchise fees cost investors approximately £29,750 +VAT, though a total of around £100,000 will be needed to launch a business successfully. One of the key advantages of the Caremark system is their extensive support network – the head office team works with more than 100 franchise offices on a 3:1 ratio. This means that there is one support employee for every three franchisees. Few care franchises can match this level of support. This back-office organisation is what makes Caremark one of the most popular franchise opportunities on the market.

SureCare

In operation since 1994, SureCare is one of the sector’s more established care franchises. It provides services to individuals with a variety of needs and works with those who have just emerged from the womb, those who are nearing life’s end, and everyone in between.

Accredited by the Quality Care Commission (QCC), SureCare is one of the most respected brands in the business and offers its franchisees the benefits of considerable brand reach. In exchange, they expect franchisees to maintain the high standards expected of carers and to commit to working closely with the franchisor.

A SureCare franchise requires a total investment of approximately £70,000. The franchise fees constitute roughly £36,000 of this amount. The remainder is made up of the working capital needed to launch the business and sustain it through its developmental stages. The franchise has established partnerships with leading lenders that allow franchisees to borrow up to 70% of this investment.

Heritage Healthcare

Heritage Healthcare was founded in 2008, by Glenn and Sally Pickersgill. Their first care home was situated in the Redcar area, but they soon expanded to open a further three offices in the surrounding area. With four care homes under their belt, they decided that franchising would be the best way to realise their goal of building a substantial business dedicated to compassionate care.

The franchise meets the needs of disabled customers in a range of ways and tailors its service to meet the needs of the individual. Whether it's a quick 30-minute visit to make sure everything's ok or 24/7, live-in support, Heritage can offer the required level of care. This is demonstrated by the franchise being awarded the 2017 Emerging Franchisor of the Year award.

To become a Heritage Healthcare franchisee, you’ll need to raise a total investment of £95,994. In return, franchisees receive assistance in four main areas. These are finance and business, marketing and communications, recruitment and operations, and training and ongoing support. The franchise helps you achieve the necessary accreditations and also ensures that your business is given the launch it deserves.

Kare Plus

Established in 1989, Kare Plus has accumulated nearly 30 years of industry expertise and a considerable amount of experience, too. Though the franchise does provide homecare, it also offers customers other vital services. These include supplying other organisations with specialist and non-specialist nurses, as well as both critical care and supported living services.

The business plays a significant role in supplying hospitals, care homes, and other medical establishments with qualified staff. This gives franchisees an additional revenue stream and ensures their chances of building a successful and profitable business are much improved.

As all Kare Plus directors were once franchisees, the business understands the unique demands placed on franchisees and has established a comprehensive support system to guide and assist them on their journey. All franchisees receive marketing, compliance, planning, financial, and recruitment support and can speak to a member of the team at head office whenever necessary. A Kare Plus franchise is valued at around £85,000 + VAT. However, a significant portion of this can be financed by a major lender.